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Sunday Living: Pioneers, cowboys and an outlaw

By Valerie Cranston

Special to the Current-Argus

Posted:
09/07/2013 09:36:17 PM MDT

Courtesy photo (null)

At the end of the cattle drive trail in the late 1880s, in Clayton, N.M., a group of cowboys and pioneers posed for a photograph. The year was 1889, and most of the men in the photo were from the Pecos Valley area.

Carl Livingston -- cowboy, attorney, geologist, amateur archaeologist, public official and story writer for the local newspapers, and later author of many New Mexico Magazine articles -- acquired the photo. Carl's father, Morgan Livingston, was one of the men in the photo.

"Some of the old timers will brush cobwebs from memory and declare 'I ought to know that face' when the above picture, which is associated with the '80s (1880s), in this entire area," wrote Livingston in an article titled, "Many a Romance of the Pecos was written by Members of this Party at Trail's End, Clayton, in 1889," for the Daily Current-Argus dated June 24, 1930.

Carl Livingston put names to the faces and wrote what facts he knew about each man. The picture is one of the most highly prized in the Livingston collection, he wrote.

He went on to explain in his article that the meaning behind the trail's end doesn't mean much in modern life. However, in 1889, it meant an end to an overland drive of a cattle herd from the slopes and canyons of the Guadalupe Mountains, north to Clayton. It was no small feat.

"Six months the cowboys were gone in order to get their steers within market range of the new Colorado & Southern Railway at Clayton," wrote Livingston, adding the cattlemen pooled their steers and traveled north together.

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The trip and trail route were difficult, with such discomforts as blowing dust and sandstorms from westerly winds. At times, the men had to dismount their horses and use the saddles to cover their heads. Provisions were scarce and no one had any money.

"It was unusually dry, scorching hot. By the time they neared Clayton, not a man had his hat left ... winds had swept every sombrero eastward and they all entered that town with their red bandanna handkerchiefs tied about their heads," Livingston wrote, adding they appeared as an old buccaneer outfit that had abandoned their galleys for Spanish ponies.

When the men reached Clayton, no cattle buyers were in sight. For the next three months, they herded their steers. When a buyer showed up, they sold at the standard going prices of $7, $10 or $13 for one-, two- and three-year or older steers.

"With the funds from the sale, the whole crowd first, after thirsts were quenched, attired themselves in new regalia, including brand new hats, and posed for the picture," Livingston wrote, wondering how many people could name the collection of pioneers and cowboys.

1 Dave Runyon: He became a prominent cattleman in the Artesia area.2 Joe Plowman: He was the outfit's camp cook for the cattle drive. He later lived in the Dog Canyon country of the Guadalupe Mountains.3 Denton Robinson: Robinson was a famous character of the Guadalupes, wrote Livingston. He was tall, dark and always rode a white horse. He was widely known. His death was shrouded in mystery.

"Mr. Robinson was murdered in his cabin at McKittrick Springs about 1900. The watch and two silver dollars, which had been carried in his pockets, were found melted," wrote Livingston. "His goats were driven about the cabin to cover any footprints of the murderer."

4 Tom Ketchum: According to Livingston, Ketchum was generally known as and spoken of as Black Jack, a famed western outlaw. Livingston did some in-depth investigation about Ketchum and came up with some interesting facts.

"The real Black Jack was Bob Christian, who was killed before Ketchum's hanging. Ketchum was hanged at Clayton on April 26, 1901," wrote Livingston. "Identification of his picture was made by Cicero Stewart, pioneer sheriff of this county. At the time this picture was made, Ketchum had just begun the life of outlawry, which brought him both notoriety and death."

Ketchum considered the Pecos Valley his home.

5 Captain James D. Day: Livingston referred to Day as the picturesque boss of the Three Links, a large cattle outfit with headquarters in McKittrick Canyon and Rocky Arroyo.

"It is understood by old timers now here that Capt. Day represented several small cowmen in handling their consignments to Clayton on this memorable drive," Livingston wrote. "But the vicissitudes of the poker table, or -- who knows what -- had sadly depleted the funds of his consignors and he couldn't square accounts."

Livingston added it is rumored that Day committed suicide following this trouble. He believes his body was buried in Rocky Arroyo or Seven Rivers cemetery..

6 Unidentified: Although this man is unidentified, Livingston believes he was also a camp cook, not well known in the Pecos Valley..7 Miles Stone: Stone was a deputy sheriff of old Lincoln County about the time Eddy County was split off in 1889. Livingston referred to Stone as another picturesque pioneer with two sons, George and Walter, living in the area. Stone later moved to California..8 Sam Jones: Jones, also known as Sage of Rocky, was one of the first white children to be born in the area of the state. He was born into a family of the truest of pioneers, the prominent Jones family, and lived in the Rocky Arroyo area, wrote Livingston.

"Sam Jones was known as a skilled roper, but known better as 'Sandow of the Cow Country;' the strong man without equal. As a wrestler, he knew no match and straightening against heavy manila ropes, broke them for demonstration of the unusual strength," Livingston wrote..

9

Unidentified: This man was a clerk in a general store located in Clayton. Livingston called him an easterner, who was thrilled by the wild and woolly West, and felt important to include himself in the photograph.

10

Morgan Livingston: Morgan Livingston was the boss of M-L Cattle outfit that grew into one of the country's largest. He came to the lower Pecos country near the town of Pecos around 1877. He came to the Guadalupe Mountain country in 1884.

"With S.T. Bitting, Walter Thayer and others, Morgan Livingston organized a private bank about 1896, which was located in a corner of the Bitting Hardware Store. It later evolved into the National Bank of Carlsbad," wrote Livingston.

Morgan Livingston's daughter, Mrs. Wylie Welch, who was known and loved by Guadalupe Mountain residents, died in 1900. Her daughter, Erma J. Roten, lived in Carlsbad and so did Morgan's three sons: Joe, Marvin and Carl; and his widow, Mrs. Martha Livingston.

In the family historical records, Morgan Livingston's death was recorded on Jan. 31, 1917, which was his youngest son, Carl's birthday..

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J.C. Blake: Blake was an old bachelor who lived on Board Tree Draw near Queen. He moved to Oklahoma and died shortly thereafter..

12

Bill Ward: Ward came to the Guadalupe Mountains in a covered wagon in 1885, locating in Dark Canyon. He was the brother of Mrs. Martha Livingston.

"Bill Ward, ranching in the upper Rocky section, came from a large family that was well known throughout the area," wrote Livingston..

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Marion Edwards: Livingston referred to Edwards as a well known, memorable character of his time.

"Now located somewhere in the Arizona desert and known in fiction of the present day as Old Pecos, he was a colorful part of the Wild West about Carlsbad," Livingston wrote.

He added that the elder Edwards, his father, was killed by a posse at Rattlesnake Springs and buried in Rocky Arroyo. The walled-in grave can be seen just across from the first crossing on Rocky Arroyo..

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D. Burdgett: Burdgett later lived in the Lakewood area between Carlsbad and Artesia.

"He was educated for priesthood, remembered by pioneers for his slight knowledge of medicine, which served many of their families in trying times when physicians were not to be had," wrote Livingston.

Carl Livingston brought these cowboys and pioneers to life from a photograph. Many of these men still have descendants in the Pecos Valley.

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